Origins Awards happen

That alone strikes me as news at this point. Moreover, they happened strictly via in-person vote at the show, and this seems to have produced sensible results all while not falling over or catching fire. Kudos! Highlights include the accepter of Paizo’s periodical award for Dragon Magazine thanking WotC for giving them the sympathy vote. Check it out.[Edit: winners (and as much nominee info as we could find) also copied below]

I am sitting at the columbus airport using my phone to add this comment…it’s 10:30am…i was up until 4am recording a podcast w/ Ken Hite, Fred Hicks, and Paul Tevis…and I am so not wearing shades. I think perhaps the most awesome thing about the awards presentation was Luke Crane not only winning…but he wasn’t able to accept his own award: because he was off running a game. Hell yes.

I got a chance to look through Catalyst Game Labs first big product, and it is pretty darn awesome. I have been following Battletech since I was a teenager, and there hasn’t yet been a better box set. 24 detailed, fully assembled plastic mechs, clear concise starter rules, ok-ish maps, and a full on intro guide to the BT Universe, and a board game quality box. They were smart and laid the box out so you could pretty much shelve if from any angle, from face-out, spine, or top. $40. They had a few shipped over as samples from the printers to promo here at Origins. Sounds like a late August release, just post Gencon to take advantage of the buzz.

I full-on plan stocking this one and putting a copy near where we stock Risk and Axis and Allies. It really could be considered one of those awesome “Father and Son first wargames.”

Dave T. Game: I can’t remember if someone was joking or if this actually happened, but Didn’t Piazo thank WoTC for the making the awards possible as a consolation prize? That may have been a joke over dinner though.

Allan: These guys formed a new imprint and are not f’ing around with Shadowrun or CBT. They know they still own some big properties and they are treating them with some respect. The OPs Guy told me something that blew me away. 4th ed. Shadowrun, even with the long periods of it being out of stock etc has sold 28,000 copies, and is going into it’s 5th printing. Ho damn, ka ching!

The exact quote that I wrote down from the acceptance speech was “Thank you to Wizards of the Coast for giving us the sympathy vote.” And when the award was announced, someone in the audience shouted “Long live Dragon!” Those were both when the award to Dragon was given out, there was no such fun when they won the award for Dungeon right afterwards.

I am taking executive privilege, and pimping the show Fred Hicks (Evil Hat Production), Paul Tevis (Have Games WIll Travel), Ken Hite (Luminary), and Myself (Jackass) recorded at around 2am Sunday morning after 6-8 bottles of wine and the Origins Awards.